Record player assembly



3 9 A.-K.'TATEISHI 3,486,803

RECORD PLAYER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Shget 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1968 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR K. TATE/SH/ 4 ATTORNEYS 4 United States Patent Int. Cl. Gllb 1/00 U.S. Cl. 312-8 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed a record player assembly in which a generally box-shaped deck supporting the turntable and encasing the conventional mechanical and electrical components required for operation of the record player and also, if desired, a radio receiver is tiltably mounted in an upright enclosure having an open front. The deck is pivotal between a horizontal play position and a storage position substantially closing the front of the enclosure. A loudspeaker is mounted within the enclosure near the bottom thereof and a cut-out in a wall of the deck serves to accommodate the loudspeaker when the deck is in the position closing the front of the enclosure. A second loudspeaker may be provided to obtain a stereophonic effect.

The invention relates to a record player assembly and more particularly to a record player assembly in which the loudspeaker is mounted in a sound amplifying enclosure. 9

It is a broad object of the invention to provide a novel and improved record player assembly of the general kind above referred to the sound amplifying enclosure of which can be completely closed when the record player is not in use and can be rapidly and conveniently readied for play when it is desired to use the record player.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved record player assembly the mechanical and electrical components including the turntable are mounted on and encased within a deck which is tiltable between a position substantially closing the enclosure when the record player is not in use and a horizontal play position.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved record player assembly which can be converted into a stereophonic record player by mounting one loudspeaker within the enclosure and a second loudspeaker piggy-back on the back wall of the enclosure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved record player assembly in which a grill in front of the loudspeaker within the enclosure constitute a part of the enclosure front wall which is completed by tilting the deck into its closing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved record player assembly in which the deck also incorporates a radio receiver connected to the loud speaker or loudspeakers mounted within or supported by the enclosure.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims constituting part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view showing the record player assembly in its closed stroage position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevational view of the record player assembly showing the same in its play position;

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FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the bearing means for tiltably mounting the deck of the record player assembly in the enclosure thereof;

FIG. 4 is an elevational end view, partly in section, showing the record player assembly in its play position; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational end view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 4 but showing the record player assembly in its closed or storage position.

Referring now to the figures more in detail and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the record player assembly as exemplified in these figures comprises a generally box-shaped enclosure 1 open at its front and designed to be placed in upright position on a supporting base as is indicated by short legs 2. The record player should be visualized as being portable and is preferably provided with a carrying strap 3.

A generally box-shaped deck 5 is tiltably mounted in the enclosure by hearing 6 as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The deck is so dimensioned and mounted that when tilted into the substantially upright position of FIG. 1 it will substantially close the open front of the enclosure and when tilted into the position of FIG. 2 it will occupy a substantially horizontal position in which it is releasably retained by suitable stop means indicated as lugs 7 protruding for instance, from the inside of the side walls of the inclosure. The deck constitutes the carrier for the mechanical and electrical or electronic components customarily required for operating a record player of the kind here involved. There are shown in FIG. 2 a turntable 10 and a sound pick-up arm 11 on the top wall of the deck and control knobs 12 and 13 on the front wall of the deck. The drive motor for the turntable, the circuitry, amplifying means, etc., should all be visualized as being encased in the deck and to be connected to a loudspeaker 15 mounted within the enclosure near the bottom thereof as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The entire operating mechanism of the record player is presumed to be conventional and does not constitute part of the invention. Accordingly, it is not described or illustrated in detail, except by blocks in FIG. 5.

The deck may further be used. as a carrier for a conventional radio receiver also connected to loudspeaker 15. The dial and the control knobs of the radio receiver are indicated at 16 in FIG. 2.

The lower part of the open front of the enclosure is covered by a grill 18 which may be cut out in front of the loudspeaker in a conventional manner as is indicated by a circle 20.

The deck when in its closed position according to FIG. 1 extends with its then bottom portion behind the grill as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Referring more in detail to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, deck 5 is in the form of a rectangular box having a front wall 25, a rear wall 26, a bottom wall 27, a top wall 28 and side walls 29 and 30. While front wall 25, rear wall 26, side walls 29 and 30 and top wall 28 are solid, except for cutouts and bores necessary to mount the turntable, the control knobs, passage of wiring, etc., bottom wall 27 is cut out at 27a for a purpose which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

FIG. 3 shows in detail the bearing means 6 for tiltably mounting the deck in the side walls of the enclosure. There is shown an internally threaded bearing sleeve 35 which is freely rotatable in a bore 30a of side wall 30. A screw 36 extending through a bore in enclosure 1 is threaded into sleeve 35 to secure together the deck and the enclosure. A preferably self-lubricating washer 37 such as a silicon washer in interposed between a flange of sleeve 35 and side wall 30 of the deck. A similar bearing 6 is provided in side wall 29 of the deck and the corresponding side wall of the enclosure.

As previously described, the deck is and must be tiltable from the record playing position of FIG. 2 into the position of FIG. 1 or from the position of FIG. 4 into the position of FIG. 5 to move the deck into and out of the play position and the storage or closed position, respectively. As also previously explained, the top wall 28 of the deck mounts the turntable 10, the pick-up arm 11 and the other components normally associated with the turntable of a record player and in practice of standard size. Accordingly, the overall minimum dimensions of the deck must be such that it can accommodate the afore referred to standard size record player components. The dimensions of the loudspeaker enclosure are selected so that the desired sound amplification is obtained and that the enclosure can just accommodate the deck. As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the structure of the invention provides a very large sound chamber for comparatively small overall dimensions of the enclosure. The height of the enclosure as shown, is just in excess of the distance between the walls 25 and 26 of the deck plus the space required for the control knobs protruding from wall 25. As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the deck in its storage or closed position reaches from near the bottom wall 1a of the enclosure to nearly the top wall 1b thereof. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the depth of the enclosure must, of course, be such that it permits turning of the deck through the required angle of about 90. As is shown in FIG. 4, rear wall 14; is outwardly slanted or bulged. Such shape of the rear wall serves a further purpose which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

As is readily evident from an examination of FIGS. 4 and 5, tilting of the deck into the upright position of FIG. 4 or 5 would interfere with the portions of loudspeaker 15 unavoidably protruding rather deeply into the enclosure. The aforedescribed cut-out 27a in the bottom wall 27 of deck 5 serves to accommodate the protruding portions of the loudspeaker. As is shown in FIG. 5, the loudspeaker extends partly into the deck when the same is in its upright position. Obviously, space must be left within the deck to accommodate the intrusion thereinto by the loudspeaker. Cut-out 27a may extend, of course, across the entire width of the deck if it is desired, to mount other inwardly protruding components in the bottom portion of the enclosure near the loudspeaker. Edge 27b of cut-out 27a. is preferably so located that it is just below the upper edge of grill 18 when the deck is in its closed position. Moreover, a protruding lip 270 on bottom wall 27 of the deck is preferably provided. This lip reduces the gap between the upper edge of the deck and the top wall 1b of the enclosure in the closed position of the deck to a minimum as is indicated in FIG. 4. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the panel mounting the control knobs is held slightly protruding from the enclosure when the deck is in its closed position. As a result, the radio control knobs 16 are accessible so that the radio receiver can be adjusted even when the assembly is closed.

To obtain a stereophonic sound effect of a record player according to the invention, a second loudspeaker and even a third loudspeaker, may be supported by the enclosure spatially well separated from loudspeaker 15. As it is shown in FIG. 4, rear wall of the enclosure is slanted outwardly and then inwardly at 1d thereby leaving a substantially triangular space in which is fitted a housing 40 including a second loudspeaker 41. The loudspeaker and if desired, a third loudspeaker, should be visualized as connected in circuit with the first loudspeaker and the electronic components therefor. Housing 40 may be secured to enclosure 1 by any suitable fastening means such as releasable clamps. The base of the loudspeaker may extend into the enclosure at wall 11! or an opening 42 may be provided in wall 1d and housing 40 to facilitate con- 4- nection of loudspeaker 41 to the circuit system of the record player.

As is readily apparent, the concept of the invention can also be applied to automatic record player assemblies.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A record player assembly comprising in combination:

a generally rectangular upright enclosure open at the front side;

a deck of substantially rectangular configuration supporting and housing the mechanism of the record player within one part of the deck and having a peripheral outline substantially matching the peripheral outline of the open side of the enclosure;

a loudspeaker mounted within the bottom portion of the enclosure and occupying part thereof;

pivot means supporting the side walls of said deck at intermediate points of the walls on the enclosure tiltable about a transverse axis at a level such that the deck is pivotal between a play position transverse of the general vertical plane of the enclosure and extending partly into the same and a closed position substantially covering the open side of the enclosure;

said deck having a cut-out in its wall facing outwardly in the storage position of the deck, said cut-out deck portion constituting an entry into another part of the deck to accommodate the loudspeaker within said other part of the deck in the storage position thereof.

2. A record player assembly according to claim 1 and comprising a grill covering the open side of the enclosure at the bottom portion thereof to conceal the loudspeaker mounted within said portion, said cut-out deck portion being disposed behind the grill in the storage position of the deck.

3. A record player assembly according to claim 2 wherein said cut-out is in the wall constituting the bottom side of the deck in the play position thereof.

4. A record player assembly according to claim 1 wherein said cut-out in the respective deck portion extends across the entire width of the respective wall thereof for accommodating additional circuit components mounted in said bottom portion of the enclosure.

5. A record player assembly according to claim 1 and comprising stop means extending from the side walls of the enclosure, said stop means being engageable with the top side of the deck in the play position thereof.

6. A record player assembly according to claim 1 and comprising a loudspeaker mounted upon the rear wall of the enclosure near the bottom portion thereof.

7. A record player assembly according to claim 6 wherein the rear wall of the enclosure is bulged outwardly, and comprising a housing detachably secured to said rear wall and including said second loudspeaker, said rear wall and said housing being faired into each other.

8. A record player assembly according to claim 7 wherein the rear wall of the enclosure has an upper outwardly slanted portion and a contiguous inwardly slanted lower portion, said housing being secured to the lower portion and the maximal transverse depth of the enclosure being sufiicient to permit turning of about half the deck within the enclosure, the other half of the enclosure protruding from the enclosure during turning of the deck.

9. A record player assembly according to claim I wherein a radio receiver is incorporated in said deck, said 5 receiver including control knobs protruding from a Wall of the deck disposed to be accessible from the outside when said deck is in its closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1952 Barth 312-8 CASMIR A.

6 1/ 1965 Bentsen 312-8 XR 2/1966 Amrnon 312-8 XR 4/ 1967 Mendelson 312-8 NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

